Needle latch opening mechanism for knitting machines



Oct. 5, 1937. H. MOADAMS 2,095,146

NEEDLE LATCH OPENING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1.

INVENTOR.

Hen-r5 M Adams I j BY 2 g y ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 5, 1937. H. MCADAMS 2,095,146

NEEDLE LATCH OPENING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Original Filed Dec. 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2

FIG. 2.

FIG. 3.

INVENTOR.

Harry M Adams ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 5, 1937 NEEDLE LATCH OPENING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Harry McAdams, Reading, Pa, assignor to The Nolde and Horst Company, Reading, Pa.,' a

corporation Original application December 1, 1934, Serial No.

755,621; Divided and 1936, Serial No. 82,337

V .12 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in knitting machines, and has more particular reference to improved means for opening the latches of the needles of a knitting machine.

The primary. object of the invention is the provision of improved power driven latch opening means for the needles of knitting machines.

A further object of the invention is the provisionof improved power means for driving 'a brush adapted to open the latches of'the needles of a knittingmachine. V r

A further object of this invention isthe provision of improved'power driven brush means; the present application. constituting a division from mycopending application Serial No. 755,621, filed Decemberl, 1934.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent-during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts 7 throughout the several views, V

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved type of knitting machine shown in my above identified pendingapplication of which the present application is a division.

Figure,2 is a fragmentary cross sectionalview taken through the dial. and head of the cylinder of the improved knitting machine, showing more particularly the improved power driven brush means associated therewith. V V

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the knitting machine, particularly show- 35 ing part of, the sinker arrangement in relation to the cylinder needles, and with which is shown the improved :power driven latch opening brush 'means.

In. the drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the'several views, the letter A may generally designate theimproved knitting ma-' chine which may consist of a frame B having a cylinder 0 associated therewith and in which cylinderare provided needles D preferably of the pivoted latch type. ,A dialE is associated with n the cylinder, although the improved powerdriven latch opening means may be used'upon any type of knitting'machine whereon needles are pro- 50 vided with special latches which must of necessity be positively opened at various times during the knitting cycle. The cylinder 0 is of the rotary driven type and reference to the means for driving it may be made to my above identified 55 co-pending application or to U. S. Patent ited thereto.

this applic #933,443. It is unnecessary at this time to de scribe in detail the. operating parts of the machine, since the present invention. is chiefly concerned with the power driven latch opening means and its relative association with the cylinder and needles thereof, although the brush means may be adapted for use with needles whether placed in a cylinder, dial, or other supporting bed.

' Briefly the cylinder C is driven from the main shaft 10, and off of which main shaft I'll is also driven what is known conventionally as the 104 gear, shownat II in Figure 1 of the drawings. It is off of this gear II that suitable pawl mechanism is provided for advancing pattern drums I3 for controlling the various mechanisms of the knitting machine, as set forth in my above identified co-pending application and other pending applications such as Serial No. 666,914, filed April 19, 1933, and Serial No; 558,798.

' The machine is of the independent needle type as described in my above identified co-pending applications and the needles D are of the pivoted latch type both in' the cylinder and in the dial;

Suitable mechanism is provided for driving the dial consisting of a vertically disposed shaft Il mounted in the bed frame of the machine alongside of the cylinder and having a gear l8 thereon which meshes with the cylinder keyed gear of the machine described in my above identified co-pending application Serial No. '755,621,'a1-

though this shaft maybe otherwise driven if; desired. The shaft l'l extends upwardly above the bed of the machine and has a gear 19 at the upper end thereof meshing with a gear 20; The latter gear is keyed'on a shaft 22 and through suitable bevel gearing 24 drives the dial shaft 25. To the latter shaft is keyed the dial bed at 26, shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

The machine has associated therewith a power driven latch opening attachment K, preferably of the brush type, although not necessarily lim-' This latch opening assemblage is provided for throwingopen the latches. of the needles of the machine, preferably the dialneedles as they are projected at one or more feeds of the knitting machine. In reference to the co-pending application Serial No. 755,621, above mentioned, the latch opening attachment K is particularly adapted for opening the latches of the dial needles prior to the transfer of stitch loops from the dial needles to cylinder needles. In that particular machine it is necessary to get the latch opening device into and out of latch opening association with the needles at certain times. Thus the brush is thrown into action to open the latches at the start of rib knitting, but it is not needed during plain knitting and is thrown out of action.

Mounting and control of the power driven latch opening means comprises a supporting frame 59 pivotally mounted at 5! on some por tion of the machine. In the example shown the frame 50 is thus pivoted upon the pick block 52, as shown in Figure l. The frame 50 is pivoted to preferably swing in a horizontal plane. It supports a horizontal shaft 55 which bears at 56 in projecting arms of the frame The shaft 55 is maintained against longitudinal movement upon the frame by suitable collars lll which are keyed to the shaft at the facing sides of the shaft supporting arms 56, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The frame 56 also rotatably supports a vertical shaft 5'5 whereon is keyed the brush 58 for rotation. The brush 58 is preferably of the bristle type and is disposed in a horizontal plane so that when the frame 59 is thrown into the dotted line position shown in Figure 3 of the drawings the bristles thereof will be in position to throw the latches of the dial needles open.

The shaft 5'! is disposed in axial intersection with the shaft 55 and at an end of the latter. The brush 58, or the shaft 5? thereof, has keyed therewith a bevel gear 6b which is disposed in meshing relation with a similar bevel gear 6! keyed on the end of the shaft 55. These gears while preferably bevel may be of the herring bone type or of the worm and worm gear type.

The shaft ll has keyed therewith a gear 55 which meshes with a similar gear 66 keyed on the opposite end of the shaft 55. The gear 66 is preferably much smaller than the gear 65 so as to drive the shaft 55 at an increased speed, and so as to permit of the gear 66 moving into and out of meshing relation with the teeth of the gear 65. These gears 65 and 66 may be of the herring bone bevel type, or any other arrangement may be provided which will obtain the proper speed of rotation of the brush 58. In the example shown the gearing is such as to drive the latch opening brush 56 in a direction counter to the direction of cylinder rotation and therefore provide for a more efficient opening of the dial latch needles.

The means for throwing the latch opening brush into and out of operation comprises an arm 16, shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, which is rigidly connected with the frame 5%. The arm 10 has a spring ll connected to a frame portion of the machine which normally holds the brush 58 in a latch open position.

A bell crank lever I5 is pivoted at It upon the frame of the machine having one end thereof operated by a reciprocating plunger E7 on a bracket 18 of the machine. This plunger 1'! is operated off of one of the pattern drums E3. The other end of the bell crank lever i5 is connected with a rod 88, as shown in Figure l of the drawings, which bears at its opposite end against the arm ll] of the power driven latch opening brush frame.

As before mentioned the brush 58 is normally maintained by the spring ll in latch opening position. It is wedged by the arm Bil out of latch opening position, due to the fact that suitable lugs are provided on the drum it for moving the plunger H, the bell crank lever 75, and the arm Bil in the relation shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.

At the start of rib knitting, the drum I3 moves to permit the plunger ll to drop; pulling the arm out of position so that the spring H may urge the brush 58 to its latch opening position shown in the dotted lines in Figure 3 of the drawings. During plain knitting the brush is thrown out of action to the full line position shown in Figure 3. The brush is thrown into action at the time of transfer of stitch loops from dial needles to cylinder needles, and which operation has been more specifically described in my above identified co-pending application Serial No. 755,621.

Yarn feed fingers are provided for feeding yarn to the needles whose latches have been opened by the brush 58.

Various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a rib knitting machine the combination of a cylinder having a set of latch needles, a dial having a set of latch needles, means for feeding yarn to said sets of needles and for manipulating the needles to produce knitting, a power driven brush rotatably positioned for throwing the latches of both needle sets open to position the needles for a predetermined knitting operation, and means for cooperatively throwing said brush out of action with respect to the needles of both of said sets at a prede- 1 termined knitting operation.

2. In a knitting machine the combination of a rotary bed having a set of latch needles therefor, a brush for throwing open the latches of said needles, means mounting the brush for rotation with its axis parallel to the axis of the needle bed, power means for independently rotating said brush, and means for throwing said brush into and out of operating relation wit respect to the latches of the needles. i

3. In a knitting machine the combination of a rotary supporting bed, a set of latch needles upon said bed and rotatable therewith, a latch opening brush, and means for rotating said brush in a direction opposite to the rotational movement of the bed of the machine for throwing the latches of said needles open.

4. In a knitting machine the combination of a rotary supporting bed, a set of latch needles upon said bed and rotatable therewith, a latch opening brush, means for rotating said brush in a direction opposite to the rotational movement of the bed of the machine for throwing the latches of said needles open, and means for moving said brush into and out of operating relation with respect to the latches of said needles.

5. In a knitting machine the combination of a rotary bed, a set of pivoted needles independently mounted for operation upon said bed, a rotary brush, power means to rotatably drive said brush counter to the rotation of said dial for throwing the latches of the needles thereof open, and means for moving said brush into and out of operating relation with said latches.

6. In a knitting machine a frame, a rotary bed on the frame having a set of latch needles there on, a pivoted support upon said frame, a shaft rotatably mounted upon said support, a brush keyed with said shaft movable upon movement of said support into or out of latch opening relation with the needles of said bed, drive means, and gearing means on the support associated with the brush for driving the same, the gearing being movable into and out of meshing relation with the drive means dependent upon the position of said support.

'7. In a knitting machine a frame, a rotary bed on the frame having a set of latch needles thereon, a pivoted support upon said frame, a shaft rotatably mounted upon said support, a brush keyed with said shaft movable upon movement of said support into and out of latch opening relation with the needles of said bed, drive means, gearing means on the support associated with the brush for driving thereof and movable into and out of operating relation with the drive means dependent upon the position of said support, and pattern controlled means for moving said support.

8. In a knitting machine the combination of a needle bed having a set of latch needles thereon, a pivoted frame having a needle latch opener as a part thereof, spring means normally urging the frame to operatively position the latch opener with respect to the needles, and pattern control means for moving the frame to inoperatively position the latch opener.

9. In a knitting machine the combination of a needle bed having a set oflatch needles thereon, a pivoted frame, a latch opener movably mounted upon the frame and movable with the frame into and out of latch opening relation Withrespect to' the needles, pattern control means for moving the frame to position the latch opener into and out of latch opening position, and means for producing a latch opening movement of the latch opener only when the saidframe is located in a latch opening position with respect to said needles.

10. In a knitting machine the combination of a needle bed having a set of latch needles thereon,

, a pivotedframe, a brush rotatably mounted upon said frame, a drive shaft having a fixed axis,

pattern control means for moving the frame to relation with said latch needles, and gearing on the frame for driving the brush, said gearing being positioned in driven connection with the said shaft only when the frame is in a position to locate the brush in a latch opening relation to said needles. V

11. In a knitting machine the combination of a dial needle bed having a set of dial latch needles thereon, a movable latch opener, drive means to move the latch opener while in an efiective latch opening position with respect to the dial needles in order to positively open the latches of the dial needles, and means to inoperatively position the latch opener out or" latch opening position with respect to the dial needles at a predetermined knitting operation.

12. In a knitting machine the combination of a needle bed having a set of latch needles thereon, a movable latch opener, drive means to move the latch opener While in an effective latch'opening position with respect to the needles in order to positively open the latch-es of the needles, and 

